InReview: WordsFlow 3
This article appeared in Issue 143Â of InDesign Magazine.This updated plug-in removes all the pain of placing and updating Microsoft Word documents.
Placing Microsoft Word files into InDesign just might be the most common chore production designers do on a day-to-day basis. And often, no sooner do you get the text placed, formatted, and styled when you find out it needs to be updated with edits, additions, and deletions. Em Software’s WordsFlow has long been a tool that makes this process easier through its dynamic linking and sophisticated merge technologies. Best known for its non-destructive merge-Âupdate feature, WordsFlow allows you to merge updates in a story in InDesign to a linked Word file that has been changed, edited, or updated without losing any of the edits or formatting applied to the text in InDesign. Although InDesign will happily let you update a linked Word file, doing so without WordsFlow results in edits and formatting changes made in InDesign being totally removed, making the feature essentially worthless. Many a user has been frustrated by this limitation, which WordsFlow thankfully solves.
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Hi. Thank you for this article. What is the difference between wordsflow and incopy? I work with another editor (my end is both layout and editing). We like highlight and accept changes and other interactive features of word editing, but we are struggling with indesign page number prediction. We’d like to place a word document early in the process to start getting a feel for page count and then edit in a linked document that updates in indesign. I thought we should learn to edit in incopy but it does seem a bit complex and may not be as easy to work interactively as we find in word. It sounds like wordsflow wouldn’t help either. Is it more for placing a document with best possible preservation of formatting?
Thank you!
Paulis-
WordsFlow 3 now works a lot like InCopy, except you can continue using Word rather than learn a new program. For your scenario, I would suggest placing the rough Word document into your InDesign layout and do your styling/formatting. This would give you a fairly accurate number of pages. Then, using WordsFlow, you could export the InDesign layout back to Word and make edits. Because the documents are linked, those Word edits can be updated in the InDesign document, without losing formatting. So actually, yes, WordsFlow Pro would help as it does exactly what you’re looking for.
I have been using WordsFlow since it first came out, and I love it. The best part, though, is Em Software’s support. I recently ran into a problem exporting a file. I kept getting an error message that made no sense. I immediately emailed support and Chris was back to me in a very short time. (BTW: when you email support from the InDesign menu for WordsFlow, it opens your email window with all of the technical details they need about your platform and version.) I included in the email a screenshot of the error message. It didn’t take long until Chris got back to me to say John was working on it. Shortly, John got back to me with a link to download the new update he created as a result of my error. It had something to do with a bullet style that did not have a corresponding character style. (My client was insisting on “arrow” bullets rather than simple dots.) I installed the update and the document exported perfectly.
This was not my first time interacting with Em Software support. They are always helpful and quick to respond. (And it’s nice to be on a first-name basis with support geeks!)
Agreed Sharon! While I don’t mention their support in my WordsFlow review, I do in my DocsFlow 3 review. Em Software has terrific support and a very gracious upgrade policy. They’re an all around top-notch company!
Excellent review Jamie! I got a few new nuggets of info that I’m going to use right away – I love the mapping for character styles, and paying attention to the order is key! I agree, the EMsoftware customer support is excellent. WordsFlow has made so many of my catalogs/documents so much easier with the back and forth between the client.
Thanks Laurie! You’re as knowledgeable on WordsFlow as anyone, so I consider your kudos high praise. :)
Is there any indication from Adobe that they will finally do something about this? I do love Em Software and their product and team, but since there is a new version of InDesign every year I have to buy a fresh new license of DocsFlow/WordsFlow. And yes I’ve been given discount by Em Software but over a period of time you end up spending thousands of dollars on a plugin that in my opinion should not have to exist in the first place.